


Still a Knight

by VanillaMostly



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-22
Updated: 2013-03-22
Packaged: 2017-12-06 02:19:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/730476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VanillaMostly/pseuds/VanillaMostly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Brienne has been ordered to bring the Kingslayer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Still a Knight

**Author's Note:**

> ADWD spoilers!

Lady Catelyn - no, she was no longer gentle Lady Catelyn, this was Lady Stoneheart. Lady Catelyn had been good and true and honorable. She'd had a heart, before it was taken away from her. _They cursed my Lady to keep her alive. They have tainted her soul and memory rather than let her rest._ Lady Stoneheart came to Brienne, close enough for Brienne to smell the rot on the dead woman's breath.

" _Bring him to me_ ," Lady Stoneheart croaked. By now, Brienne could understand her garbled, painful voice. It was not Lady Catelyn's voice. It was not a human's voice.

Brienne said nothing, not looking at her. Brienne would not grant respect to a cheater. That day she had chosen to serve Lady Stoneheart, but it had not been a fair choice and they both knew it. You could not call hanging an innocent child's neck justice. Lady Stoneheart and her men, they could speak of vengeance and fealty all they want but they were no better than the Bloody Mummers.

After a while of silence, Brienne thought Lady Stoneheart would leave. But she did not. Instead she stepped closer. Brienne would not let herself move. There was nothing to fear about Lady Stoneheart, only to pity, only to disapprove. " _Kingslayer_ ," Stoneheart hissed. " _You love the Kingslayer."_

"No," said Brienne, forgetting her vow of silence. She almost said, _His name is Jaime_ but her wits came in time for that.

" _First handsome Renly, then the Golden Twin."_ If Lady Stoneheart's voice was chilling enough, then her laughter was a thousand shards of glass piercing the wind. " _You know how to pick your men, Brienne of Tarth._ "

Not only did the mention of Renly feel like a punch to Brienne's guts, as it always did, but the accusation about Jaime hurt even more, because of its sheer outrageousness and stupidity... and perhaps truth. Brienne did not know. Love was for ladies, pretty, charming maidens which she had long ago known she would never be. She did not want to be the foolish girl of two-and-ten again, blushing and dreaming of a man who was kind to her only out of courtesy. _But you do dream of him,_ Brienne reminded herself. _You dreamt of him last night_. Not her lord of dark hair and blue eyes, dying in her arms, but another pair of green eyes, staring into hers as he sank into a sea of red.

 _I trusted you,_ those eyes read.

_I trusted you._

"Lady Catelyn," Brienne said to whoever it was inside her mistress's body, hoping, praying for just one remnant of the lady Brienne once loved still listening. "Please. _Please_ believe me. Ser Jaime is not his sister. He is a good man, he saved me, he meant to protect your daughters-"

" _He meant to cripple my son,_ " said Lady Stoneheart.

"People change," said Brienne. She could not see clearly; tears blurred her vision, but she did not care to wipe them away. Her hands were preoccupied with clenching the Lady's gray cloak. At some point Brienne had knelt to her knees; she did not even remember when.

" _People change,_ " agreed Lady Stoneheart, and Brienne's heart skipped a beat, "...y _ou especially. You were a warrior knight, not a lovesick whore, or have you forgotten?_ "

"I am still a knight," cried Brienne.

" _Then pick up your sword. You have work to do."_ Lady Stoneheart wrenched her cloak out of Brienne's grasp and left, not a glance behind.

 

 

 


End file.
